Whenever districts wanted a tax hike, it seemed those two areas were immediately on the chopping block, with the intended effect of whipping parents into a frenzy. Never once did I hear a district threaten to roll back salaries or trim benefits if the millage hike failed.

So I called MASB and it turns out the radio report didn't give the full story.

One district, Grand Ledge, which is near Lansing, raised the issue. But MASB spokeswoman Jennifer Rogers pointed out the district actually is looking at cutting some transportation and some sports spending as part of an overall plan to save $4.1 million. It's a pretty interesting and comprehensive plan, and I wonder if we'll start to see others like it in our neck of the woods.

Aside from eliminating high school busing to save $500,000, the district plans to close three schools -- including a high school -- and reconfigure two others to save nearly $2 million.

Grand Ledge also proposes eliminating two central office jobs and restructuring another and getting some concessions from employees.

Plus, they're looking at cutting $227,000 of the general fund contribution to athletics, which could mean that the money is raised in other areas, or some programs are trimmed.

These moves follow some put in place this year, including moving school board elections to every other November, which no board in this area has been willing to try.

Would you be more likely to accept cuts in busing and sports if you knew there were other cuts as well, or should those areas be the last to see the ax?